Updated: Cuccinelli: State can regulate abortion clinics

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, who is anti-abortion, has issued a legal opinion allowing greater restrictions on abortion clinics, drawing swift criticism from providers who say it could cause some of the facilities to close.

The opinion, issued late Friday, provides legal guidance for the state Board of Health, and does not require action. But pro-choice advocates accuse Cuccinelli of trying to circumvent the General Assembly, which has considered but failed to pass further restrictions on abortion clinics for at least eight years.

"We've been waiting for the attorney general to take on abortion providers and it looks like this is his first pitch,'' said Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia. "These so called regulations are only an attempt to shut down abortion clinics in the Commonwealth of Virginia."

Cuccinelli's opinion was a response to requests from Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William) and state Sen. Ralph K. Smith (R-Roanoke), who asked whether the state has the authority to regulate facilities that provide first-trimester abortions as well as the medical personnel who perform them.

"This opinion clarifies any legal questions on the issue and sets the stage for regulating abortion clinics like other medical facilities,'' Smith said in a brief statement issued by his office.

Marshall wrote a letter to Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) on Monday asking him to implement the regulations following Cuccinelli's opinion.

"This is a victory for women and children across Virginia," Marshall said Monday. "We should do everything possible to ensure that every woman's life and health and their future pregnancies are protected by the Commonwealth of Virginia. To do otherwise is to shirk from government's first responsibility."

McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said the administration is reviewing the opinion. "The governor is a longstanding supporter of ensuring that abortion clinics, and their medical personnel, are treated equally with other out-patient surgical hospitals by the commonwealth to ensure services are provided in a safe manner,'' he said.

Pro-life legislators -- including Cuccinelli who served in the state senate -- supported bills that would have treated abortion clinics as ambulatory surgery centers and required them to meet hospital-type regulations with regard to equipment and space.

Currently, abortion clinics are regulated the same way as offices where patients receive oral or plastic surgery.

Abortion providers fear that clinics won't be able to afford the costs of making the changes and will shut down or increase their prices. Keene said if the Board of Health imposes the restrictions, 17 of the 21 abortion providers in the state would most likely have to close their doors.

Cuccinelli was careful to state that any regulations must comply with Roe v. Wade, but cited the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court's upholding of abortion clinic regulations in other states to demonstrate the kind of regulations that would be legally acceptable in Virginia.

Calls to Cuccinelli's office were not immediately returned.

Stay tuned for updates.

Updated: The Attorney General's Office has put the opinion online and issued a statement from Cuccinelli spokesman Brian Gottstein.

The state has long regulated outpatient surgical facilities and personnel to ensure a certain level of protection for patients,'' he said. "There is no reason to hold facilities providing abortion services to any lesser standard for their patients. Even pharmacies, funeral homes, and veterinary clinics are regulated by the state."

I wish the Post would get the proper, correct terminology. Cuccinelli and his ilk are not Pro-life and Anti-abortion. They are ANTI-CHOICE. Those of us who believe in a woman's right to choose are Pro-life and want unwanted pregnancy to be as infrequent as possible. Shame on the Post and other MSM to fall into the right wing playbook by painting the majority of Americans who are pro-choice as against life.

This is not a new issue. Discussions on whether abortion clinics can continue to be exempted from the standards applied to other ambulatory surgical centers has been going on for at least a decade. The issue should be what is needed for the safe and effective care of the patient - not the profitability of the centers.

The safety track record of most of these clinics is not good. As a result, patients experiencing incomplete abortions, ongoing bleeding, hemorrhaging, infection and other complications end up referred to properly equipped surgical offices and centers for care. A rather straight-forward surgial procedure has become complicated. An elective, moderately priced procedure has become an expensive, necessary procedure paid through group insurance.

The requirements of quality care and patient safety should be a necessary part of being in the business. The federal government is requiring primary care physicians to get EMRs and e-prescribing to improve quality and safety. Some physicians claim the costs will drive them out of practice, but eventually realize that this is necessary for good care and absorb it into their practices. In the same way, abortion clinics offering surgical abortions should finally meet the standards for facility space, equipment and qualified personnel that are met by every other ambulatory surgical facility. Surgical abortion providers have been transferring the risks and demands of their procedures to other providers for years. It is time they step up and take responsibility for performing all surgical abortions right, the first time.

Funny liberals should mention being "pro-choice" when they obviously aren't for choice on things like healthcare insurance and choice of schools...... Heck, they won't even let the people of California choose in a fair vote whether or not they want gay marriage!

Why should a teen or woman want her clinic and procedure to be safe and clean or unregulated? Is least expensive the highest priority? If 17 of 21 would go out of business, then are they already known to be unsafe?

Cuccinelli continues his far-right wing attack on a womoan's right to control her own body. He won't be happy until science and women having control of their own health is abolished. Keep your religion out of our lives.

Regulation of human rights has proven a misnomer to the Southern States in the past, Civil Rights for Black American's as an example. States Rights do not have the authority to take away individual rights guaranteed under our great constitution. Anyone attmepting to trample our rights should not be applauded, like the VA AG is beig applauded by Conservatives state-wide. Women's Rights first to be removed, as a test and than other people rights will be taken away by the Minority Conservatives, because they feel they have the right over Others, EGO of White conservatives over all minorities.

Our rights are protected under the Constitution and not states rights as we would still have slavery enforced if not for federal rights over States Rights.
thank-you Virgina for reminding us of our slave past and how you would support slavery today, given States Rights over Our Constitutional Rights.

You didn't read it, did you? This wasn't an opinion piece, it was a report on the opinion of someone who isn't Cuccinelli. Would you have rather learned about it after it was too lat to lobby to prevent regulation? Then again, I see no problem with the state saying abortion clinics have to be clean....

I've had oral surgery and eye surgery, both not in hospitals. Conditions are very different.
Eye surgery requires me and the attending doctors and nurses to be fully clothed in sterile paper products.
Dental surgery I wear my ordinary clothes. The oral surgeon and her attendants wash hands and wear gloves and wear uniforms. I just had significant oral surgery; it involved the bone and a bone graft. It was definitely invasive and I was fatigued for a week. But it didn't need the sterile procedures of eye surgery.
Which conditions are required to do an early abortion that keeps a woman safe from infection or other complications? Isn't that up to the medical community to figure out, not a lawyer?

Yeah, that's funny, just as funny as "conservatives" who believe in no government inteference unless it pertains to a woman making a personal choice of what to do with her body, forcing children to pray in a secular school, or disallowing two committed adults the benefit of a civil marriage.

From the article: Abortion clinics are currently "regulated the same way as offices where patients receive oral or plastic surgery" and "The opinion, issued late Friday, provides legal guidance for the state Board of Health, and does not require legislative action."

Is the The Attorney General bound to uphold these regulations as they exist?

Or, are AG opinions allowed to change existing regulations? If this has been an ongoing debate in the Legistlature... how do changes to the regulations not require legislative action?

Are surgical abortions medically akin to plastic surgery/oral surgery? If not, to what are they akin? If so, what medical reasons exists that these clinics be held to different medical standards than the plastic/oral surgery?

"The safety of abortion is well established, with infection rates less than 1%, and fewer than 1 in 100,000 mortalities occurs from first-trimester abortions. At every gestational age, elective abortion is safer for the mother than carrying a pregnancy to term. Medical abortions, or those performed primarily by medication prior to any surgical intervention, are even safer than surgical abortions at the same gestational age." See emedicine.medscape.com for references. Note that legal abortion is SAFER than carrying a pregnancy to term, and yet women choose to have WANTED children every day.
Note these statistics refer to LEGAL abortions, not illegal ones, which Cucinelli and gang seem determined to bring back. Even safer than abortion is birth contol, which should be widely and inexpensively available to every woman of reproductive age. The rightwing moralists don't believe in that, either.
Cucinelli's proposals have nothing to do with protecting women, and everything to do with inflicting someone else's religious beliefs on others. WHY can't our elected officials attend to the important issues facing our state--the economy, education, emergency services, roads, mental health, help for poor children who are ALREADY BORN--instead of constantly trying to stir the pot over unimportant issues (research on global warming from U.Va.? suing the federal government over health care insurance?) or already established laws?

More of Koo-koo-nelli's right wing nut agenda, forcing his backwards views on Virginia.Funny how right wing nuts don't want any govt. regulation in their life unless they don't agree with something...
i thought the AG was supposed to be fighting crime-there must be no crime in Virginia....

I'm so glad that Attorney General Cuccinelli is stepping up and doing the job of a legislator. It's important that members of the executive branch do everything in their power to overstep their constitutional restraints and usurp the power of other branches as much as possible. Legislation by executive branch officials is just so much more efficient than by actual legislators elected for that purpose!

Like any other medical practice (primary, dental, surgical, etc.), a clinic that provides abortions does take fees. They pay taxes, they pay staff, the staff pay taxes, etc. VA gladly takes those taxes, right?

What he is doing--which isn't very Republican of him--is to limit small businesses. Yes, a clinic providing a host of womens' reproductive services is a small business.

He must have called up that state representative and prompted him to ask for an official opinion. Cuccinelli almost made it sound like he had nothing to do with the request. Line up the lackeys.

Thank goodness this pathetic erosion of rights--personal and small business---does not happen in MD.

Leafgreen:
Yeah, that's funny, just as funny as "conservatives" who believe in no government inteference unless it pertains to a woman making a personal choice of what to do with her body, forcing children to pray in a secular school, or disallowing two committed adults the benefit of a civil marriage.
=======================================
You hit the nail on the head.

Conservatives/right wing whack jobs are always whining there's too much "gub'ment" in their lives. But they sure do want "gub'ment" dictating how people should lead their personal lives to meet their twisted theo-fascist far-right agenda.

typical christian republican hypocrisy, always willing to shove Big Government down your throat, always willing to control by law what you say, do, think, feel, who you love, ...
and they have the nerve to scream at the big government democrats.

Well, let's see. Some legislator asked for the AGs OPINION on an issue of state regulation. And the AG gave said opinion as is his JOB, citing some judicial opinions and such. I'm trying to see where there is anything untoward, outlandish or overstepping here.

First --- I am pro-life --- second, while I understand the issue, I believe that the U.S is still a Republic and that our elected officials were elected for a reason. As much as I agree that the regulations should be in place, I believe it is the Legislature that has that action Not the Attorney General.
Third - I may have missed something here. I believe the regulations are intended to tighten the requirements for medical equipment and facilities at the abortion clinics. I understand that some clinics will not be able to make the investment and have to close, which I assume is Cuccinelli's point. Aren't the pro choice people standing up for the lack of adequate medical facilities? Of course, I don't have any statistics to say one way or the other. Mayhap the current facilities are fine. I suspect however that an abortion is just a tad more invasive than a root canal or nose job.

Well, let's see. Some legislator asked for the AGs OPINION on an issue of state regulation. And the AG gave said opinion as is his JOB, citing some judicial opinions and such. I'm trying to see where there is anything untoward, outlandish or overstepping here.

Well, let's see. Some legislator asked for the AGs OPINION on an issue of state regulation. And the AG gave said opinion as is his JOB, citing some judicial opinions and such. I'm trying to see where there is anything untoward, outlandish or overstepping here.

The AG wrote an opinion, by request of a legislator inquiring about the legality of regulation. In other words, he was doing his job in giving legal opinions on a topic. He is a lawyer and can advise the state.

The way I read it, the legislator wanted to know if it was possible to do the regulations and the AG answered - obviously, in the affirmative. The specifics to the regulations (e.g. requiring the same standards of cleanliness, etc. as other surgical enterprises) seemed to be in line with what the legislature was debating. In other words, he was answering the question citing specifics of the debate at hand.

Whether you agree or not is a different issue. But AG legal opinions are not regulations and they are not law - they are advisory opinions, if you will.

As for the issue of changing the standards of abortion, I would think that those who are pro-abortion would WANT safe and clean premises. As a woman, if the government can require me to buy medical insurance, then I think it's only logical to require medical facilities to be safe and clean.

And while I am not in favor of abortion, I would definitely not say I am anti-choice - on the contrary in fact. I believe you make a choice when you have sex and accept that one of the possible consequences is pregnancy. If you don't want a baby, then don't do what might get you one (or take precautions, etc.). Yes, some pregnancies are from incest/rape, but the percentage is so low it hardly constitutes being the basis of an entire policy. You make choices and you accept responsibility for the consequences of those choices... except American society doesn't like to accept responsibility.

Just another predictable step by Governor McBible to drag easily-duped god-fearing Virginians into a theocratic dominion.

Don't be fooled by Ken Coochie-Coochie's pronouncement on abortion clinics. He's merely the governor's beard -- or Cheney's Bush -- bidden to advance numerous ultra-right-wing policies in the four years Repug Robert has in office.

Almost as depressing as this seems is the news yesterday that George "Macaca" Allen is exploring a run for a U.S. senate seat from the ex-governor's trampling grounds.

It's worth noting the hypocrisy of the freedom-fighters for women's rights.

Men never have a choice, they have to put up with whatever the woman chooses. Standard rebuttal: you should keep it on your pants. Yeah, well that's what the Christian right's telling you to do that made you so indignant in the first place.

Either A) make it illegal or B) get rid of child support (and see how many new people exercise their "right").

Just another predictable step by Governor McBible to drag easily-duped god-fearing Virginians into a theocratic dominion.
Don't be fooled by Ken Coochie-Coochie's pronouncement on abortion clinics. He's merely the governor's beard -- or Cheney's Bush -- bidden to advance numerous ultra-right-wing policies in the four years Repug Robert has in office.
Almost as depressing as this seems is the news yesterday that George "Macaca" Allen is exploring a run for a U.S. senate seat from the ex-governor's trampling grounds.
What's next? AK-47s permitted in churches?
Posted by: perryneheum | August 23, 2010 1:45 PM | Report abuse

Guess what. The 2nd amendment GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO BEAR arms so there is nothing stopping anyone from carrying in church. And as a matter of fact there are many church’s in which armed people stand guard outside during services. But don’t let reality in anyway impede you from making a fool of yourself…LOL

Please note that the issue is not whether abortion clinics are regulated or not. They are, just as the offices providing oral or plastic surgery. Do you think your dentist must meet no regulations? The question is the type of regulation. If there is a compelling reason to increase requirements of clinics, such reasons should be presented with data and evidence. Otherwise, it is a transparent move to make abortion less available.
It should be clear that the Republican party, by and large, does NOT want to make abortion illegal, despite rhetoric to the contrary. This would mobilize their opposition while removing an incentive for their base to make it to the polls. By restricting access and availability, they have the best of both worlds: they can point to these restrictions as proof of their "pro-life" stance and please the base, without the attention and subsequent call to arms that would result from a legal ban on abortion.

It is a wonder, when we view the rights of woman to choose, live or death for her Baby. However,when talking to the judge for support or their husband it is a baby, until the chooser decides to kill it,then it is a fetus.
I always thought it was funny, you need a license to drive, fish or permit to build a house but to be a mother, does not even require forethought.

What disturbs me the most is the fact that a 'legal opinion issued' seems to be the basis for law. For/Against abortion, everyone should pay heed to the increasing trend that legal opinions are becoming the fiats of the US.

As with Cuccinelli's other pronouncements, a two-pronged response is the right approach. First, explore every legal challenge available. Second, simply ignore the order. If Cuccinelli presses the issue, force him to overplay his hand and then charge him in court.

In any case, Cucci's closet life is going to catch up with him sooner rather than later. Once the details of that come out, nobody will want to be part of anything associated with him. Ask yourself, would you want to shake hands with a scat-fetishist?

Bailers wrote:
"Oh the irony. Government oversight and rules pushing businesses into potential closures or bankruptcy because they can't afford to keep up with the mandates imposed on them."

---------------

Don't you know that the GOP is only interested in state's rights when the state agrees with their platform? In this case, if the state assembly doesn't agree, just go out and find a loophole. So much for all of that Republican talk about keeping government out of your personal life. What hypocrites!

This nutjob Cuccinelli needs to get thrown out of office. Why do wingnut repulbicans hate the Constitution so much? They hate the 1st and 14th Amendments, they hate the right to privacy, and they hate it that men can't control women's bodies.

A woman has the freedom to choose whether or not she conceives. It's settled law. No ignorant white conservative politician is going to change that.

“Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, who is anti-abortion…” What a way to start the article, Kumar. Can’t tell what side of the debate your on: Objectivity 101 the Dan Rather School of Journalism. Lol Anyway, only 1 in 4 Americans believe that the abortion laws should stand as they are now: any horny lady that couldn’t keep her pants on can get an abortion because she couldn’t keep her pants on. Sorry. Hate to point out facts but the VAST MAJORITY of Americans are against abortion on demand.

"because Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, is anti-abortion i do see how it gives him the right to say a woman cant choose"

______________________________________

He isn't saying you "can't choose". He's saying the Health Dept can regulate abortion clinics. I thought part of your argument for legalized abortion was that it was SAFER! Have you changed that stance while I wasn't looking?

"Funny liberals should mention being "pro-choice" when they obviously aren't for choice on things like healthcare insurance and choice of schools...... Heck, they won't even let the people of California choose in a fair vote whether or not they want gay marriage!"
===============
The people in California who vote against gay marriage aren't choosing for themselves. They're choosing for other people.

Here is what I would choose for you:
1. You must walk, ride a train, or bicycle to work.
2. You must recycle or I will go through your trash and fine you for every recyclable in it.
3. You must not smoke cigarettes ever in proximity with anyone else, including your own children.
4. Your church must pay tax on the large chunks of roadfront property it owns.

Leafgreen wrote:
"How is requiring clean and safe conditions in abortion clinics affecting your personal life? Are you a janitor at one?

---------------------------
If abortion clinics are not clean and safe, then where are the statistics that say they are not? The suspicious lack of this information shows what really drives the decision to INCREASE the level of regulation. Sorry, but it's just another example conservatives having poor analytical skills. Where are all the conservatives complaining about unnecessary increases in regulation? Don't you know that the increased regulation COSTS MONEY?

"If abortion clinics are not clean and safe, then where are the statistics that say they are not?"
__________________________________

You need statistics for regulation? I wish you showed the same zeal during the HC debate. That bill included regulation on GOLD PURCHASES, of all things. Where were the statistics saying gold sales were flawed?

Call it whatever you like. There are a lot of "choices" that are illegal in the USA. That does not necessarily make the USA anti-choice. Why not just be honest and say you are pro-abortion instead of hiding behind the word "choice"?

"The American Taliban is becoming more and more powerful...where are the protests?"
_________________________________________

The one to ask about "American Taliban" activities is Yettie. He keeps an office between the unicorn coral and the Obama's Indonesian birth certificate in the fairy tale building. (rolls eyes) Show me evidence of a vast organized conspiracy by the far Christian right to institute stoning and beheading for non-believers.

Cuccinelli and his right wing extremist repugnantcans are just beginning. In 3 more years Va will show the rest of the country just how repressive a right wing extremist gov can get. I personally want Ken to turn Va into pre 9/11 Afganistan and see what it gets the Repugnantcan party in 2012.

"Cuccinelli and his right wing extremist repugnantcans are just beginning. In 3 more years Va will show the rest of the country just how repressive a right wing extremist gov can get. I personally want Ken to turn Va into pre 9/11 Afganistan and see what it gets the Repugnantcan party in 2012."
_________________________________________

Interestingly, VA has gone into a budget surplus since Republicans were put into high office last year. I think if the trend continues it will get national Republicans A LOT in 2012....

"Call it whatever you like. There are a lot of "choices" that are illegal in the USA. That does not necessarily make the USA anti-choice. Why not just be honest and say you are pro-abortion instead of hiding behind the word "choice"?"
________________________________________

They used to call themselves pro-abortion....until they learned that the terminology was no longer "in" and didn't win many votes. Now they try to say "pro-choice v anti-choice" rather than "pro-abortion v pro-life" because they believe it gives them an advantage in first impressions.

I wish the Post would get the proper, correct terminology. Cuccinelli's apponents are not Pro-choice. THEY ARE PRO-ABORTION and ANTI-CHOICE.

That's why they oppose having women see an ultrasound prior to an abortion; they know they women will see a baby and not some amorphous "bunch of cells" that these anti-life zealots have propagandized them into believing.

That's also why they have to suppress the growing information about the long-term negative physical and psychological effects of Abortion. As more women get the truth, more of them CHOOSE LIFE!

"Funny liberals should mention being "pro-choice" when they obviously aren't for choice on things like healthcare insurance and choice of schools...... Heck, they won't even let the people of California choose in a fair vote whether or not they want gay marriage!"
===============
The people in California who vote against gay marriage aren't choosing for themselves. They're choosing for other people.
Here is what I would choose for you:
1. You must walk, ride a train, or bicycle to work.
2. You must recycle or I will go through your trash and fine you for every recyclable in it.
3. You must not smoke cigarettes ever in proximity with anyone else, including your own children.
4. Your church must pay tax on the large chunks of roadfront property it owns.
Posted by: HookedOnThePost | August 23, 2010 3:07 PM | Report abuse

1. The unemployed will be bused to the Gulf for clean up detail. If were paying you, YOU WILL WORK.
2. Welfare will be reduced to 6 months. Get a job or die. It’s not my responsibility to take care of you. Irresponsible people only produce the next generation of dead beats destine to feed off of the tax payers.
3. Abortion will not be illegal but it will NOT BE USED AS BIRTH CONTROL. You get one after that your tubes are tied. W hen you provide proof you are responsible then we might grant you a reversal.
4. If you cannot afford insurance then you cannot afford an iPhone. No coverage no phone.
5. EVERYONE will pay their taxes even on welfare, unemployment or which ever program you may be collecting from will be taxed as all other income.
6. Gays will be allowed to marry but you will set the new example. You will NOT be allowed to divorce. Make sure you have thought things through.

We can play this game also but keep in mind it is your side that will fail as they ALWAYS HAVE.

The one to ask about "American Taliban" activities is Yettie. He keeps an office between the unicorn coral and the Obama's Indonesian birth certificate in the fairy tale building. (rolls eyes) Show me evidence of a vast organized conspiracy by the far Christian right to institute stoning and beheading for non-believers.

I see the liberals love regulation, except when it comes to regulating what they care about (Abortion). Then its an evil take over of the Government. Yet forcing people to buy health care is somehow a God sent. PuhLez..

Just watch a few min. of the show Jersey shore. Its offers a great perspective into the minds of the young and dumb LIBS of today. I wonder how many people have hit Snookie. LOL if she hasn't had several abortions by now it would be a miracle also surprising she's not the poster child for venereal diseases. Nothing else really needs to be said.

If anyone who has followed Ken Cuccinelli's political career doubts that he would do anything in his considerable power to close every abortion clinic in Virginia, I certainly don't understand why.

Pro-choice people attribute religious motives to those who want to deny women access to safe abortions because there simply aren't any legitimate secular motives. As noted by loco71, legal abortion is safer than carrying to term. The notions that abortion causes breast cancer, sterility, etc., have been thoroughly debunked. "Post-abortion syndrome" has no credibility in the medical community, while post-partum depression is well-documented and all too real.

So, why do the anti-choice forces keep inventing this stuff? The only obvious reason is to disguise their viscious misogyny. How many people who call themselves "pro-life" actually have the nerve to confront a pregnant woman and say, "The life of your fetus is more important than your life, your health, your well-being, or the well-being of your family, and you should have no say about it."?

If I have learned anything by following this issue closely since the 1960's, it is that there is no lie so brazen to tell and no witness so false to bear that they will not be called into service to avoid that confrontation. Does that apply to everyone who calls himself/herself pro-life? No, certainly not. Does it apply to most people who want to put the abortion clinics out of business? Yes, without any question.

"Sorry women, time to move out of Virginia or vote this guy out."
_______________________________

Why? The state budget has never looked better than since they booted Dems and put in Reps (and without raising taxes, I might add). A little regulation on clinics most women will never use is a small price to pay to keep from going bankrupt.

Cuccinelli and McDonnell both campaigned on Pro-Life, Pro-Family, and Pro-Marriage (between a man and a woman).

To even presume some of this woudl not creep into Ken's legal opinions means you have not been paying attention.

Ken endorsed private pharmacies that refused to sell birth control of any kind. The pharmacies when under, but they gave it their best shot.

In Ken's defense, he is using the existing law as intended by drafting a legal opinion that abortion clinics maintain the same standards for safety and cleanliness as any other surgical center.

I am about as pro-choice - get out of my face if you don't like it - as you can get, but standardized safety and cleanliness are hard to argue against - even if that is not the original intent of Cuccinellis legal opinion.

Sorry women, time to move out of Virginia or vote this guy out.
Posted by: shewholives | August 23, 2010 3:47 PM | Report abuse
Or use birth control and be a responsible adult. You have a choice. You don’t have to spread your legs for every guy you meet at 2:30 in a bar. But what you really want is the right to do anything with out consequences. The real world doesn’t work that way. Grow up…..

Maybe you can help me out here. I see you are a DEM supporter and I was wondering how you feel not having equal rights thanks to the DEMS. After all it is 2010 and one would expect the US to lead the world in this field however we seem to have forgotten that the women in the US…..

I thought Cuccinelli, McDonald and the VA GOP ran a campaign of bringing jobs to VA. Doesn't seem to be a job creation move to me and more social engineering by the religious to get around the law as stated by the SCOTUS.

I have a novel idea for Mr Cuccinelli, why don't he focus his attention on combating and persecuting crime instead of being a self-appointed bedroom monitor. He could start out by investigating the man in Florida who had a charity scam that milked money out of vertrans but which donated heavily to Cuccinelli's campaign. That sounds more what an Attourney General should do instead of running for his next office.

Your "friendly" Right-Wing-Nut-Neo-Con-Nazis at work just trying to force everyone in the country to goose-step to THEIR arrogant, self-serving tune. Republicans aren't happy unless the entire country wallows in the mud along with them.

Of course, clinics have to be regulated but this rightwing whackjob that VA voted in is not talking about the normal medical regulations. Cuckoonelli is a birther- so we know he is not all there. If the liberals want to leave Virginia so it can move back to the 1800's- come on over to Maryland.

Cuccinelli bypasses voice of the people in General Assembly. Pure playbook. Greater regulation, greater costs to providers = less gov? That's contrary to health care arguments too. Stay out of a woman's right to choose.

Cuccinelli, you are NOT the voice of the people - the General Assembly is. Greater regulation + higher costs to providers = less gov? That's not consistent with conservative health care reform arguments. Say it like it is, respect the will of the people, and stay OUT of a woman's constitutional right to choose!

I suspect Cuccinelli's motives as much as anyone, but it sure would be interesting to have some information, preferably from the Post, on the medical issues in this debate.

Is there a medical justification for the more stringent regulation? What, in fact, are the statistics on complications, patient outcomes, hospitalizations, etc., when the two different levels of regulation are compared with respect to abortion clinics? What is the experience of other states?

Of course it would take some effort to find that out and study it. Much easier, and more fun, to rant on the basis of our preconceived ideas.

This is a non story, Cuccinelli is not an idiot .. As a Republican - I would like a fund set up in Virginia to aid abortion clinics.. to support those in need.. (multi-generational entitlement seekers) I'll donate monthly! .. WAPO and Pelosi (& Kumar) are desperate for any story to reverse the national political wave..

Fascists are fascists, and Cuccinelli, well, that's what he is. But why does the Post use the "abortion clinic" wording so carelessly? Are these clinics really places where only abortions are performed? Don't women get other help, advice, and treatment there? From "freedom fighters" to "pro-life", to "death panels" to "abortion clinics" -- you surrender to fascist language, you surrender to fascism.

The only regulations that conservatives like are the ones they want to impose on the private lives of Americans. All other kinds of regulations, from Wall Street to the environment--are deemed onerous despite the shock and awe that has rained down on our nation as a result of the conservative deregulation ethos.

Is this supposed to be news? OF COURSE states can regulate abortion clinics! Just like they can regulate any clinic or hospital on state land! Can you say "duh"?

Posted by: leafgreen | August 23, 2010 11:21 AM

Forget going back where you came from. Go to Europe. They seem to have everything you liberals want and more. I'll never understand why you don't just relocate there.....

Posted by: leafgreen | August 23, 2010 4:04 PM
**************************************************************************************
Most normal people read an article, and if they feel strongly enough, will post a message or two on the message board, and then move on. What's up with these right wing types, such as this leafgreen person, who seem to do nothing but post these messages all day long? Note the times these were posted. This person has been on this message board all day long. Is someone paying them, or are they just sadly imbalanced with no job and no life?

this is so transparent. Cucinelli has just discovered a way to harass abortion providers. the procedure hasn't gotten any more difficult, ambulatory surgery facilities have been around for decades. if anyone regulating the practice of medicine thought the procedure should be restricted to ambulatory surgery centers (which is essentially what Cucinelli's "ruling" would amount to) they would have done it long ago.

and the ruling is nothing of the sort. no one needed him to tell anyone that if there were a basis for requiring ambulatory surgery facility standards that it would be perfectly acceptible to impose them.

just a political stunt that has nothing to do with safety or anything else but anti-abortion politics. what else is new?

There are days I wish we hadn't kept the South from seceding by whupping their behinds. Then we wouldn't have the South draining the intellectual and financial pockets of the rest of us.

We wouldn't need to have a debate on abortion.
We wouldn't need to have a debate on evolution.
We wouldn't need to have a debate on national health care.
We wouldn't have people in "Red" states railing against "government welfare" while receiving more federal money than "Blue" states - and not saying one word about that.

It is always amusing how on two supposedly Constitutional "rights" issues the left and the right come down on opposite sides with respect to regulation. The left does'nt want abortions regulated and the right doesn't want guns regulated.

If you like your health insurance, you can keep it and not exclude others from receiving health care.

The conservatives won't be happy until their religious doctrine and lifestyle are forced upon everyone else. They call themselves pro-American, but controlling who one chooses to marry, the choice to have a child, the quality of health care based on social status -- sounds more like Iran than America.

This issue is raised by one Republican state senator writing to another Republican, the Attorney General of Virginia, asking essentially, if regulations, can be increased on certain types of health care facilities.

And then the Republican Attorney General replies enthusiastically, YES, we can definitely increase regulations.

The state regulating a facility is one thing, but requiring it to have facilities not needed and telling the employees how to do their job is not within the jurisdiction of state and local government.
Assuring cleanliness and being there to stop prejuducial practices would be in the realm of regulation.
Anti-abortion is about men wanting to require women to have their babies and require them to raise them without the man having to be involved in any way. Anyone thinking it has to do with anything else is narrow minded.

That's it baby...back to 1788....No ups -no outs - no compromise - no voting - no obeying established law - my way or the highway..

These hillbilly clowns that are now running the state of Virginny may as well get Rick Perry to come up and help so both states can secede at the same time !! We'll give texas back to mexico and virginny back to Liberia. Have a nice day... morons...

On a serious note, if Cuccinelli prevails, all he's likely to do is increase demand for abortion pills. And, when it's too late for the pills, a return to back-alley abortions with their high injury and infection incidences, and higher mortality rates, that abortion was made safer and legal in order to reduce dramatically.

The liberals won't be happy until their neopagan doctrine and lifestyle are forced upon everyone else. They call themselves pro-American, but controlling how one lives, acts, eats and worships -- sounds more like Iran than America.

Cuccinelli is working to take Virginia backwards. He came into office with a personal agenda and continues to find ways to advance it. He didn't get my vote and does not have my support. Virginia use to be a great place to live.

The more things this nut-job does the more committed I am to NEVER spending another dime in his state or to support his fascist/Christian Taliban agenda. Talk about an authoritarian dictator....there are laws and just because you don't like them (Roe v. Wade)doesn't mean you can do whatever you like to circumvent them. DEFEAT CUCINELLI!!!!

Woman have been having abortions for centuries; if Cuccinelli gets his way, women will go back to getting them done in back alleys by butchers. Dirty and unsafe, but they will get them.

He and our Gov. are taking VA backwards.
He came into office with a personal agenda and continues to find ways to advance it. He didn't get my vote and does not have my support. Virginia use to be a great place to live.

Sure. Why not? Why not regulate pregnancy termination offices as carefully as FDA regulates egg production mills? This is simply an activist politician putting his understanding of Scripture to work whilst claiming to be protecting women from inadequately equipped and staffed facilities. Of course, in the end, this could lead to coat hangers in a back alley. Take home message: Any woman loose enough to get herself pregnant (rape and incest included) must endure the pregnancy to term and then figure out what to do about the baby. The responsible man skates.

So much for McDonnell pledging to "govern as a moderate". His Taliban AG has now turned his back on 21st-century science (fighting against any responsible action on climate change) and now has sent women back to the alleyways. Call him Coat Hanger Ken. Might as well call for women to be beaten with sticks for appearing in public without a male relative, like his Afghani heroes.

NEVER trust a conservative Republican to live in the 21st century. They abhor modernity, be it on civil rights or science.

Here we go again - hypocritical dirtbag Republicans imposing their twisted, agenda because they believe they know best for everyone else - regardless of what the law may specify or provide. How hypocritical can this get - when they claim they want to reduce the role government plays in our lives while using that same government to promote their agenda. For them, it's only intrusive if it's something they don't agree with. The day this jerk Cuccinelli and his equally twisted, lying, hypocritical cover boy McDonnell leave office will be a red letter day for the rights of the people who live in this state. The two of them represent the biggest step backwards this state has taken in over 60 years - they're archaeic dinosaurs representing repression, bigotry, hypocracy, and a level of arrogance not seen by this state since the days of Jefferson Davis. These two jerks should be recalled.

The Govt can force me to buy health insurance but has no right to require uniform sanitary conditions in medical facilities. Do you care so little about your wives, daughters, and all the other women of our society that the cleanliness and safety of the facility is irrelevant. Your logic makes no sense whatsoever.

The liberals won't be happy until their neopagan doctrine and lifestyle are forced upon everyone else. They call themselves pro-American, but controlling how one lives, acts, eats and worships -- sounds more like Iran than America.

Posted by: pmendez
_____________________
what a joke. what liberal objects to prayers? we object to government ordering us to say them.

Obama agreed with the Supreme Court decision interpreting the Second Amendment as granting a personal right to gun ownership

I defend Dr. Laura's right to use the N word any time she wants. So would every liberal I know. And she would defend my right to call her station and ask that she be fired. And you would (I presume) defend the network owner's free enterprise right to fire her if they think it's good for business to fire her.

as for trans-fats, we ban, un-ban, and limit substances in our food, or require labelling of them every day. And labelling just promotes your right to decide what you eat. more freedom for you with more information to exercise it with.

Despite abortion being legal in the U.S. since the early 70's, there sure are a lot of young families everywhere, popping up 24/7. Plenty of breeding still going on these past 30+ years! It appears that women are exercising their choice re: starting a family more wisely than uber-conservative men would have us otherwise believe...

I think men who don't pay support to feed their children should be in jail.
I think fathers who have ignored their children since birth should be in jail. Gosh, then we have the new trend of fathers killing their children for revenge.
Why don't men like Cuccinelli talk about the role of men in abortions, why is he not talking to men about birth control?.

Why not just be honest and say you are pro-abortion instead of hiding behind the word "choice"?

Posted by: mG54 |
-------------------------------
Because I am NOT pro-abortion, and you don't have the right to make up your own labels. I would be very happy if no one either had to get an abortion for health reasons, or never got pregnant when they didn't want to. Since this country in general doesn't believe in providing information and safe birth control to everyone who is of child-bearing age, human nature being what it is, there will be accidental pregnancies. Many of those will result not only in births but in wanted children. But no one should be forced to deliver an unwanted child--children aren't a punishment. Our goal should be to make the need for abortion as rare as possible. Just don't call me pro-abortion.

Posted by: mG54 "Call it whatever you like. There are a lot of "choices" that are illegal in the USA. That does not necessarily make the USA anti-choice. Why not just be honest and say you are pro-abortion instead of hiding behind the word "choice"?"
---------------------------------
Because we are NOT pro-abortion. We would all prefer people to take a different path (don't get pregnant, adoption, etc) But we also want people to have the CHOICE not to do those things.

And what about when the child was desperately wanted, but due to medical reasons the mother would die in the process or the fetus is so malformed that what they end up with is no life worth living?

Wait for the baby to die, then remove it? How would you like to have a dead body inside you? Not exactly health for the mother.

Why not just be honest and say you are pro-abortion instead of hiding behind the word "choice"?

Posted by: mG54 |
----------
I'm pro-choice and would be quite happy if no one had another abortion IF that was the result of no one NEEDING an abortion.. Like loco71, I want abortion to be rare because women AND MEN have information, access and motivation to adequate and safe birth control.
I chose not to have an abortion at a time in my life when it would have been convenient. I CHOSE to have the baby. I cannot dictate that choice to another woman.

And Kenny C. has found his next issue to use his taxpayer funded office to grandstand on in the hopes of winning GOP points towards a higher office.

Next up is that whole "integration" issue that has long been a thorn in Ken's side and something his supporters could really do without.

Wiz_fan. Its not the dimwits in Southern VA that fell for it, they wanted a radical right winger with a Christian Taliban agenda. Its the moderates in Northern VA who didn't realize they needed to vote for the lesser of two evils.

Mr. Cuccinelli ran his campaign on a very narrow world view and he is delivering his campaign promises. I wonder at this point at the intelligence and the intent of the voters who gave him his office. It is frightening to me that his electorate worry and want to legislate what women need to do to control their destinies with some semblance of dignity. In Mr. Cuccinelli's more well ordered world women would have the same rights as the slaves that subsidized the wealth of Virginia with no access to Human rights. It is sad that in the year 2010 we have individuals who have such a low opinion of women that they would force them to birth a child and then blame them for not being able to afford the price of raising them to their potential. Mr. Cuccinelli is no different than the Taliban that just last week stoned to death two people for loving one another. Mr. Cuccinelli is the face of the American Taliban.

Tao wrote:
"Virginia is leading the way back to back-alley abortions. The good old days?"

---------------
That's why the GOP's unofficial motto is, "We're building a bridge to the 19th century". (Oh, for the days of corporate monopolies and sweatshops! Just thinking about it gets those conservatives excited.)

Like Otrauma said, "Elections have results" and "I won". Bottom Line: The NeoCommie horde had better get used to it. And don't count on the Supreme Court to support The Liar-in-Chief on this one either after that dissing he gave them at the State of the Union last. Oh, how sweeet it is when Otrauma's chickens come home to roost! (And its ABORTION .. not a coice you idiots. If you can't bear to call it what it is, go elswhere. The "Choice" crapp is getting old.

Question (in multiple choice form for the NeoCOmmies):

Three (3) perfectly good sets of humand DNA go into a room and only two emerge. What happened?

"Posted by: -tao-..Virginia is leading the way back to back-alley abortions. The good old days?.."
----------------------------------------------------------------
Is this the same blog that has a fit when a Republican is perceived as trying to scare people for no reason? It couldn't be as there are no NeoCommie hypocrits here in the WAPO Opium Den/Echo Chamber.
BUT, at least Tao calls it what it is .. an abortion and did not take the "choice" approach.

The only Choice in the matter was made last November and the NeoCommies in VA lost.

Folks ithese are rabid-right election time histrionics; all the usual right wing bigotry is resurfacing. And soon as elections are done and the drones have cast thier vote, this non-issue will be forgotten for the next to years.
If you don't like abortion first teach your children abstinence.

Ok..... I didn't pay attention in my government classes. But I'm pretty sure the Attorney General enforces the laws. He's not supposed to make them. I see a big fat wind bag filled argument on the Virginia Constitution, powers and law coming.

The Confederate Governor and his Confederate AG are carrying out what they promised. Never mind that their right wing rhetoric--keep government out of the lives of its citizens--is violated by this action. And let's try to at least achieve some modicum of honesty: they don't want to regulate clinics, they want to regulate women. Virginia: home of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson and a host of men who could, if they lived in Iran, wear the appellation Ayatollah. If women would simply grow a backbone in Virginia and turn out to vote, these 7th century men would have to crawl back into their caves.

I never mentioned God or religion. You Neocommies, once again, are building a bug-a-boo strawman to tilt at where none exist. Nice Otrauma trick you've acquired there. My contention is that ABORTIONS terminate the journey of a perfectly good innocent set of human DNA. You buttwinks can rationalize it any way you want. Killing a baby is wrong on a human level, at least mine. It is the weakest innocence falling prey to the strong in a society. Nothing more. What happens to anything associated with your ilk after you pass is no concern of mine. But if some of the stories ar true, you'll be in for an experience!

Our AG (ayatollah general) is an idiot bent of making headlines instead of serving as the top law enforcement official in the state. Sad day, indeed. Wonder what he thinks about Mosques? Hint: next issue.

"Conservatives" are completely opposed to more regulation of legal activities EXCEPT when they just HAPPEN (surprise, surprise) to not approve of that legal activity. A heaping helping of hypocrisy, anyone?

Yes, I'm loony! Who else but a raving loon would believe that the life of a baby is worth more than being able to say, "I got to choose". Just own up to what you choose which is to dismember little girls (Did you hear that liquid scream?) You choose to rip the legs off of little boys (Oh, son, did that hurt?). You choose to inject brine and pickle them until their skin burns off (oh, sorry, was that an inconvenience?). Nothing too good for your kids, huh?

I saw this article and couldn't resist the opportunity to post a comment, because it directly gets to the root of the health of our individual activity and our society as a whole. I firmly believe the progressive movement in the United States aims at driving a wedge between man and wife and between a father and his children. It goes without saying that not every man makes a good father and not every woman makes a good mother. However, the later is a matter of choice that a child doesn't have the opportunity to make and it seems to me progressives capitalize on that choice through interventions into family planning and into every aspect of how our children are raised beginning in public educaiton where children are exposed to a vast ideology scaled toward liberal thinking and dependence of government, who continues to make choices for them. For every child without a father, the government has provided a substitute, which is government. Progressives feed on the alienation of single mothers to men. No fault divorice gives women the opportunity to leave the fathers of their children for any reason, which envelopes the vast majority of men, who are good fathers, but suffered a failed marriage. Progressives encourage these separations of family and promote the ideology for one reason, a vote to keep them in power.

In order to bring balance to this situaiton, what should be developed is an artificial womb so a man can father a child in the absense of a woman. The latter may sound far fetched and sexist, but for the most part, it would allow a woman to feel the pain of a man who has been reduced by progressive thinking to nothing more than a sperm donor. The fact is, that before intercourse occurs, a contract is formed between the man and the woman involved where the potential outcome, a child, is known and the risk is taken. Therefore, the woman's choice to either maintain the pregnancy or abort it should be a shared decision, because as we know an egg doesn't become fertalized without sperm. Only in cases of rape should the woman be allowed to make the decison on her own.

In that sense, a man is robbed of his contribution, which is necessary and just as important and legitimate as the contribution of a woman.

Yes, all children deserve a father even if the father is Karl Marx or Aldoph Hitler. Somewhere inbetween common sense and fairness should come into play, but it doesn't from the progressive point of view.

I am positive that if an artifical womb was developed, it would be utilitized by both men and women removing the burden in the argument for a woman's choice, because she has to carry the child for nine months out of her life.

A man's rights are ignored in the case of abortion and in order for Roe v Wade to be just, a man's rights acording to the contract, even though it is verbal, should be made valid by the highest court in the land. If both parties agree, then abortion rights would be solved.

To make the abortion "choice" as ugly, nasty and dangerous as possible I suppose it's best to leave the business totally unregulated, and to certainly not require it to meet existing requirements for any comparable medical facility.

An alternative would be to totally privatize it ~ take it totally out of the realm of government.

Just do what you want.

And no guns.

No guards.

No courts.

I think that would do it in.

Fur shur, the abortion business cannot exist without government power.

If the Leftwingtards and their abortionist allies can tell all of us that we have to buy medical insurance and submit to government dictat regarding our medical records, well then turn about is fair play eh!

Darned shame none of these pukes want to maintain basic standards of sanitation. They'd shut down a McDonalds being run the way most of them are.

You can take the abortionist out of the back alley, eh, but you can't get the alley out of the abortionist!

I absolutely agree that women should have a right to choose when it comes to their own body, but what many do not understand is that the babies body does not belong to the mother, therefore, the mother does not have a right to choose to stamp out the life of another human's body. With today's detailed medicine and visualization procedures, it is quite clear that a pregnancy, no matter how many weeks gestation, is another human body within the mother. So, women, make all the choices you want about your own body, but leave your babies separate body intact and give your baby the right to life like your mother gave you!

The true patient outcomes from abortion clinics for surgical abortion are unknown as there is little or no follow-up by the clinics performing the procedure. Mortality rates are low, but why should it not be 0%? My experiential "data" comes from Kaiser Permanente. KP does not provide abortions, though refers women requesting the procedure to area clinics such as the Falls Church Planned Parenthood. Roughly 25-30% of surgical abortion patients experience complications requiring physician intervention and additional surgical procedures - performed in a regulated healthcare setting. Additionally, my wife's hospital (nationally-recognized very large OB service) sees a regular number of women to resolve complications of abortion - mostly uncontrolled bleeding or infection. These are primarily handled on an ambulatory basis, so they do not count as a hospitaliztion. If abortion clinics are so competent, safe and high-quality, then they should publish their outcomes statistics with valid measures just like hospitals and now ambulatory surgical centers.

The issue is if abortion providers should be held to the same facility and staffing standards as providers of oral surgery, botox injections, and dermabrasion or to the more strict standards for providers of eye surgery, spinal procedures for pain management, joint scopes, etc. Why should a woman getting a surgical abortion not receive the same level of care as a woman being treated for dysfunctional uterine bleeding (techniques are very much the same)?

All women, even those getting an abortion, deserve care in a facility prepared to meet their needs. That is the implication of this opinion by Cuccinelli. I have not been a fan of him (glad he was elected AG so he would not be my state senator), but he is correct in this decision.

Quick and easy solution. Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia states that applying such regulations to abortion clinics will cost as much as $2 million in structural costs! Oh My! With a population of about 8 million, and guesstimating that at least half are liberal, pro-choice. That works out to about 50 cents / person. That does not seem like an insurmountable sum to protect such a necessary medical service.

Dig deep, find a few coins, and send them to NARAL Virginia to help abortion providers update their facilities to the standards of other healthcare facilities.

Ah, that Kookinelli for you. He won't be satisfied until we're back in the days of keep 'em barefoot and pregnant....and in the back alleys seeking coathanger abortions. It's the Republican way. If you've got money, you can travel wherever you like to get an abortion. The rest of us are just duking it out with the illegal "immigrants" to see who descends into slavery first.

They want you, not let me rephrase that they want to force their religion on every one, the so called compassionate conservatives, but once that baby is out of the womb, forget it about health care,education, social services and the like, too much money and too much welfare, not every one is like Bristol Palin, that for opening her legs wide open she gets 14 k to tell people not to follow her wonderful example.HYPOCRITES

We can only hope that if Cuccinelli shuts down women's clinics, one of his own daughters dies from a pregnancy that went bad because there were no women's clinic to treat her. Keep your religion to your self Cuccinelli and out of our life.

If you do believe that life begins at conception why aren't we prosecuting women that have miscarriages? Little bit of selective application of your twisted reality.

It is about time some one got it right. All those thousands and thousands of women dying in dirty abortion clinics. In fact, Cuccinelli is a wimp. Virginians are so dirty, they shouldn't have hospitals at all. Go to Maryland. At least doctors take a bath there.

Well, it is not anti choice to want to regulate the proper functioning of any health facility.

Nigtifr: you should be ashamed of yourself for your statement about prosecuting women who miscarry as killing their unborn babies! I have had 15 miscarriages and thankfully, 2 beautiful children... Those miscarriages were losses of WANTED pregnancies. An abortion is a concious choice a woman makes to terminate an UNWANTED developing life. I hope you never have to endure a miscarriage... keep abortions separate from miscarriages as they are not the same.

My birth mom went in for an abortion and it was too late, hence the screen name... thanks to whatever divine intervention happened there because I have a life because of it! I have done and accomplished so much and now have the priviledge of raising 2 beautiful children of my own all because it was too late.

Im not against other women choosing to end those pregnancies/lives, they are the ones that will have to live with their choices and the consequences in the face of God for making those choices.

I knew a girl in high school who had an abortion and medical consequences. I realize its not the norm, but it happens. I think complications may be under reported because the women seeking private abortions, ie not wanting others to know, may not tell the reason for their complications... I mean, if someone is going to go out of their way to go to another state to have one, they arent going to go back home only to tell, even a Dr what they did. Just a thought. Even if the "complication" is depression resulting from the drop in hormones, its still a complication.

I commend Cuccinelli for holding those facilities to the same standards as any other medical facility. I hope that there is some regulation of counseling as well... abortions should not be given to women who are so conflicted with their choice that they are in tears... they will undoubtedly have huge difficulty dealing with their choice for years. If a woman chooses to terminate, she should be confident in her choice, it should be black and white. Any shade of grey and a responsible counselor should tell her to come back when she has really made up her mind. Just two cents from a concerned person.

I firmly believe in a woman's right to choose in the first trimester. That said, abortion is in fact a surgical procedure. I'm all for safety regulations. I don't want women dying from backroom, unsafe abortions. If I am going into any surgical procedure I want the place and people to be clean, safe and qualified. Knock yourself out, Ken!

Ken Cuccinelli is so maddeningly, frighteningly out of control. Issuing your personal, faith-infused "opinions" regarding any moderate or liberal stance on an issue to pressure your rabid political agenda on the Commonwealth is NOT your job description.

So far, Mr. Cuccinelli has attacked gays and lesbians as a protected class, academic integrity AND climate change, immigrants' human rights (and in conjunction, civil rights and the protection against racial profiling), and now women's rights to receive an abortion.

I know I am speaking for several when I say that Virginia is mourning the day that Mr. Cuccinelli took office and began forcing his ultra-right-wing policies down our throats.

Abortion is merely the "choice" of selfish hypocrites. Those who are willing to vivisect and dismember their own kids would howl with objections if they had to suffer so much as a scratch on themselves. The abortion hypocrites would never dream of allowing an abortion on their own bodies, which they control about as well as chimpanzees control themselves. They argue that abortion is only for other lesser/subhuman individuals, just as Hitler excused his genocide by claiming it was directed at "untermenschen." Hitler killed 6 million in his death camps, and abortionists have killed over 52 million in theirs (for money). Who is worse?

Abortion is merely the "choice" of selfish hypocrites. Those who are willing to vivisect and dismember their own kids would howl with objections if they had to suffer so much as a scratch on themselves. The abortion hypocrites would never dream of allowing an abortion on their own bodies, which they control about as well as chimpanzees control themselves. They argue that abortion is only for other lesser/subhuman individuals, just as Hitler excused his genocide by claiming it was directed at "untermenschen." Hitler killed 6 million in his death camps, and abortionists have killed over 52 million in theirs (for money). Who is worse? I have seen abortions done, after I did the prior pelvic exams. I know from experience they cost about $10 to do, and the abortionists charge hundreds of dollars. It's quite a racket, and not only provides them with luxury homes and cars, but also plenty of extra profits to buy off crooked police, prosecutors, politicians, judges, and journalists. If abortion is so great, let's see the abortionists demonstrate on themselves how great it is. Anyone who doesn't get it can learn a little from www.100abortionpictures.com, www.abortionno.org, or google 'abortion pictures' If being vivisected and dismembered is bad for you, it's bad for anyone else. Civilization is based on self-control, and those who control their own reproductive behavior like chimpanzees are as civilized as chimpanzees.

This is merely one more step in Mr. Cuccinelli's insidious plan to turn Virginia into a Theocracy. It also exposes him for what he truly is - a sexist who believes his state's female population is too stupid to make informed rational decisions for themselves. Shame on you Mr. Cuccinelli and your ilk, and shame on the citizens of Virginia for allowing such a bigot into office.

This is merely one more step in Mr. Cuccinelli's insidious plan to turn Virginia into a Theocracy. It also exposes him for what he truly is - a sexist who believes his state's female population is too stupid to make informed rational decisions for themselves. Shame on you Mr. Cuccinelli and your ilk, and shame on the citizens of Virginia for allowing such a bigot into office.

This is merely one more step in Mr. Cuccinelli's insidious plan to turn Virginia into a Theocracy. It also exposes him for what he truly is - a sexist who believes his state's female population is too stupid to make informed rational decisions for themselves. Shame on you Mr. Cuccinelli and your ilk, and shame on the citizens of Virginia for allowing such a bigot into office.

We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.

User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.